Rain cape construction



Jan. 27, 1942. c. s. MccoY RAIN CAPE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 1, y1941 EL y" Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENIT, OFFICE RAIN CAPE CONSTRUCTION Charles S. McCoy, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to McCoy, Jones & Company, Inc., Chicago', Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 1, 1941, Serial No. 404,975

Claims.

My invention relates to rain capes made of very light material, such as oiled silk, light rubberized cloth, plastic films, coated fabrics or other materials Cellophane-like in appearance and texture, all very light and capable of Abeing folded in small, compact parcels, and has particular reference to the arm hole construction of such a garment to lengthen the life of the garment and render it strong enough to withstand hard usage without tearing the garment and rendering it unfit for use. A

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a garment having an arm hole construction which is reinforced and made stronger than what has been vpossible in constructions of this character" heretofore.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a garment which is so constructed that the garment is reinforced Where stress is greatest and so fashioned that the garment will not tear or rend readily around the arm holes, as is common 'with garments heretofore constructed of very lightweight material.

These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawing, and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a rain cape embodying my invention; t

Figure 2 is a detailed elevational view of an arm opening on the left side of the garment; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on line 3-3 of Figure 2L Referring now specifically to the drawing and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a rain cape ID is shown, made up of side sections II and I2, front sections I3 and I4, and fastener supporting strips I'5 and I6 to which rows of snap fasteners I1, I'I are secured. Intermediate sections I8 and I9 are secured along their rear edges to the vsections t II and I2 by rows of stitching 20, 20, except for a short distance from a point indicated at 2l to a point 22 Where the rear edge of the panel I8 is left free, thus providing a slit 23, illustrated particularly in Figure 2, through which the arm of the wearer can be inserted if desired. In forming the lines of stitching, the edges of the sections II and I8 are overlapped, with a double row of stitching to provide additional strength strengthening the garment. The sections I8 and I9 at their forward edges are secured to the sections I3 and I4, respectively, .by rows of stitching 24, 24. This stitching 24 extends from the bottom of the garment to the shoulder portion thereof and forms, in effect, a seam extending along the front margin-al edges of the two intermediate sections I8 and vI'9 and along the rear edges of the front sections I3 and I4, respectively, with binding strips 24 overlaying the edges of the sections I8 and I9, respectively, the seams .and binding strips forming in effect strengthening means for the garment in these particular areas.

A flap 25 is provided'on the left side of the garment, with a similar flap 26 on the -right side. The` rear edge of the flap 25 is joined onto and stitched to the panel `II by continuous rows of stitches 20, 2U forming a 4seam between the side section II and the intermediate section I8. A transverse `binding strip 2'I'is provided at the top of the ap 25 and a similar binding strip 28 is placed at the bottom `edge ofthe flap 25, with transverse stitching 29, 29 xing the ends of the flap 25 firmly to the intermediate section I8. The ends of the flap 25 are diagonally disposed so that if water lodgesA at the bottom of the pocket it will drain outward toward the outer side of the garment, while water collecting at the top of the pocket will drain rearwardly toward the garment and not downward toward the opening `of the flap and inside of the rain cape. The front side of the ap is somewhat longer than the rear side so that when the flap is drawn taut there is a tendency to hold the forward edge of the vflap somewhat closely against the section I8, thereby preventingkwater from entering into the flap or the flap falling away from the section, allowing rain toV pass under the nap to the inner part of the rain cape.

Along the forward edge of the flap 25 is a binding strip 30 which is folded over the forward edge of the ap and secured thereto by stitching 3l. The flap 25 has a portion of its width cut away so that it is slightly narrower than the panel I8, to allow 4a vsomewhat greater freedom of movement of the arm when it is extended through the slit 23 thanmight otherwise be possible. The binding strip 30 is carried forward intov the lines of stitching 24, 24 which secure the edges of the sections I3 and I8 together. This bindingis made `of an extremely strong, waterproofed and fairly heavy material so that in addition to forming a binding strip for the edge of the flap 25 it forms a support for this flap. By being carried into the seam at each of its ends and stitched firmly therein, it anchors the flap 25 in position on the garment and resists tearing of the garment at this particularpoint, thereby adding materially to they life ofthe garment.

The 'rear "edge of the section IB adjacent the slit 23 also has a binding strip 32 thereon, whichl is folded over the free edge of the sectionl I8 and secured thereto by stitching 33. This reinforcing member extends into the seam formed by the stitches 20, at 34 and 35. The binding strip 32 is of the same material as the binding strip 30, and reinforces the section I8 and prevents this section from being torn around the arm opening, as is common with garments of this type and character.

From the -foregoing description it will be understood that the formation of the narrow sections at the front of the garment and the seams extending down the front of the garment form a reinforcing support for the garment at these points. The edges of the flap portions, by having the binding strips extend into these seams, are also materially strengthened and supported in such manner that the garment will not'l be easily torn by the wearer in using the arm hole. When the arm of the wearer is inserted through the slits at the front of the garment, there is often a tendency to rest the weight of the arm on the garment along the point of juncture of the section I3 to the section I8, thereby adding considerably to the strain on the garment. Due to the fact that rain capes and rain coats of this type are apt to be made. of very lightweight material, they are easily torn and the rend usuallyl occurs near the arm opening. Likewise, when the arm is inserted through the opening and the handsused, there is an upward pull on the garment which is apt torend or tear it in movements of the arms. In carrying the binding strips for the edges of the flaps into the seams, the garment is strengthened at this point and particularly so with the narrow strip of material and the two seams extending vertically to the front'of the garment.

In illustrating the garment, only the front sections are shown, it being deemed unnecessary to show the rear section because the same general construction can be used or the entire back section can be made of a single piece of material if desired. Likewise, a detailed description of the opening at the right side of the garmentfhas not been given because its construction isexactly the same as that on the left side, illustrated in Figure 2 and described in detail, except that it is made from an opposite direction.

While I have described more or less precisely the'details of construction, I Ldo not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment having a plurality of vertically extending side and front sections, narrow intermediate sections secured to one edge of each of said front sections and to one edge of each of said side sections for substantially its length but detached therefrom for a short distance whereby arm openings are formed at the front of the garment, and naps of substantially the same length as the openings and of substantially the same width as the said intermediate sections secured to the intermediate sections at their top and botom ends and by their rear edges to the garment, but free at their forward edges.

2. A garment having a plurality of vertically extending side and iront sections, narrow intermediate sections secured `to one edge of each of said front sections and to one edge of each of said side sections for substantially its length but detached therefrom for a short distance whereby arm openings are formed at the front of the garment, and ilaps of substantially the same length as the openings and of substantially the same width as the said intermediate sections secured to the intermediate sections at their top and bottom ends and to rows of stitching which secure the `intermediate sections and the side and front sections together.

3. A garment having a plurality of vertically extending side and front sections, narrow intermediate sections secured to one edge of each of said front sections and to one edge of .each of said side sections for substantially its length but detached therefrom for a short distance whereby arm openings are formed at the front of the garment, and flaps of substantially the same length as the openings and of substantially the same width as the said intermediate sections secured to the intermediate sections at their top and bottom ends and by their rear edges to the garment but free at their forward'edge, the free edges of each intermediate section and the free edges of the flaps having binding strips thereon which extend into the seams adjacent the ends of the said binding strips.

4. A garment'having a plurality of vertically extending side and front sections, narrow intermediatesections secured to oneedge of each of said front sections and to one edge of each of said side sections for substantially its length but detached therefrom fora short distance whereby arm openings are formed at the front of the garment, and iiaps of substantially th-e same length as the openings and of substantially the same width as the said intermediate sections secured to the intermediate sections at their top and bottom ends and by their rear edges to the garment but free at their forward edge, the free edges of each intermediate section and the free edges of each of said aps having binding strips secured thereto which extend into and are secured by rows of stitching securing the side sections, the front sections and the intermediate sections together.

5. A garment having a`plurality of vertically extending side and front sections, narrow intermediate sections secured to one edge of each of said front sections and to one edge of each of said side sections for substantially its length but detached therefrom for a short-distance whereby arm openings are formed at the front of the garment, and naps of .substantially the same length as the openings and of substantially the sam-e width as the said intermediate sections secured to the intermediate sections at their top and bottom ends and by their rear edges to the garment but free at their forward edge, the free edges of the intermediate sections having binding strips whichV extend into the seams and are secured by stitching at th-e side of the side section, and the Afree edge of each of the flaps having binding strips thereon which extend into the seams and are secured by stitching holding the intermediate and front sections together.

cHARLEs s. MccoY. 

